Foldable high chair



Aug- 1, 1950 v. E. LITTLE ETAL 2,517,004

FOLDABLE HIGH CHAIR Filed Nov. 23, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS wea/z. E. urne, .ey a. Noia/J,

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Patented ug. 1, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT" ortica Virgil E. Little and Ray B. Norris, Port Arthur, Tex.

Application November 23, 1948, Serial No; 61,706 3 claims. 01. 15a-143i This invention relatestoifoldable high chairs' for infants and small children, and more particulariyto a foldable high chair of the character disclosed in` patent application of V. Emery Little and Ray B. Norris, Serial No. 790,682; led De` cember9, 1947, forFolding High Ghair.

It is among the objects of the present' invention* to provide animproved foldable high chair having a pair'of crossed-over, pivotally connected frames, a backboard, a pivotally-mounted seat board, a slidable and pivotally-mounted tray board and a pivotally-mountedfootboard, wherein the frames' are relatively Imovable toa side-byside` relationship, the seat board is` simultaneously upwardly movable at its front edge .to a position substantially' parallel' tothe backbcard, the tray board is movable downwardly to` a position overlying and substantially parallel to the seat board, and thefbotboard` overhangs and is" nearly parallel to the tray board, so that all of said boards are stacked in contiguous',` face-to-face relationship when saidV1 chair is folded, which'- chair includes spring-biased, pivoted means connecting the-seat board to the frames so that' the' frames are automatically brought to ioldedfposition when the front edge of the seat board is raised, and whereby the seat board is resiliently held in operative position when thel chair is unfolded, and which chair is simple, strong and durable in construction, extremely stable when in unfolded condition, easy to fold andv unfold, Oflight weight, and of compact size when folded for easy and convenient transportation, andlneat and attractivein appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationfof the following description and the appended claims in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a` perspective View of` a high` chair illustrative of the invention, showing the chair in unfolded or operative-condition;

Figure 2 is a perspective view 0f` the chair in folded condtiom' Figure 3 is a side elevationiof a` fragmentary upper portion of the chair;

Figure 4`V is a transverse,` cross-section taken substantially on the line 4-4' of Figure 3, looking upwardly in the direction oftheiarrowsl;

`Figure 5 is a= transverse, medial, cross-section of theupper portion' of thechair taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a cross-section similar t`o= Figure 5, but showing the movable parts of the chair in a partially folded' condition;

Figure? is asidefelevationion a.lsornewh'aten-` larged scale of a slida;b1el connection between the tray board and.: the` boardisupporting rail of the chair;

Figure 81 is'u a. crosshsectibn of` a fragmentary portion of the tray board; supporting rail and slid-able connectionftaken substantially on the line Figure 9` isla side-elevation of"`tliat portion of the tray-slide? assemblyfsecurecr to tneftraysupporting rail Figure-10 is=aibottom plan view' oi the element illustratedfin-Figure 9;

Figure 111 is a longitudinal,cross-section taken substantially onithe line I IL-I I! oi"Figure 8V; and

Figure 12 isl a transverse cross-section taken substantiallfyi on the line IlZL-I-Zf of Fgurel.

Witlrcontinued.referenceto the drawings, the improved chair comprises, in: general, a front frame I 0, a-` rear frame II, means I2` pivotally int'er-connectinge contiguous legs of' the two frames intermediate the ends of such legs, a back*- board I `3rigidly'securedbetween` the legs of the front` frarn'e` above the pivotal' connections I2, a seat board'` l'dfpivot'ailyf connected to the legs of bothnthef front andrear frames ata location below thebottomV edgeY of! the backboard I3, a footboard I5, hinged: atl itsf upper' edge to the under surface;V oflthef seatlboardtnear the front edge" of the-r latter and' dependingvfromthe-seat board, a trayesupporting; U-shaped rail I6 pivotally connected at its ends to respectiver legsofV the front frame'l` between the top'landii bottoni edges of' the backboard, a' tray board II' and'islidev assemblies I8; slida'bly'connectingftneltrayboard atits opposite ends to' respectivelegs of the U-shaped railE I-Ii.V

rIlhe frontfra'mef Itis a length or metal tubing bent to-providea frame inl thelformof acontinuous open iigure; orfloop.` This: front frame' includiesla straight bottom"` I'9I and: two legs 20 extending respectively frorn opposite ends of the bottoni, |19: and connected' tothe latter by arcuartery-curved` portionsell of the tube; The por-'- tions of the legst immediately above the bottom IBare'straight `and converge-'slightly toward each other;` Ati` a'. location spacedabove the bottom IBlthe: twol legsrZU are'bent rearwardlylrelative to the' assembledchair; as illustrated in- Figure 1, an'dab'ove the locaticuiyofy the-rearward bend, are bent forwardly again to provide" straight; substantially^para`l1el"portionsA disposed one at each side edge of the seatboard |35. The upper ends of` the'legs ZD aref connected by an arcuatelycurved tube portion 272', so that'the front frame comprises; a.l continuous tubular structure,

The rear frame II is also provided by bending 'a metal tube to provide a stright bottom 23, and a pair of spaced-apart legs 24 extending respectively from the opposite ends of the bottom 23. These legs 24 are connected to the respective ends of the bottom 23 by arcuately-curved tube por tions 25, and the leg portions immediately above the curved portions 25 are substantially stright and convergent relativeto each other. At the upper ends of these convergent'portions the two legs 24 are bent rearwardly relative to the assembled chair, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the upper ends of the legs 24 are separate and curved forwardly on a small radius to provide supports 26 for the forward, intermediate portion of the U-shaped tray-supporting rail I3. l

The pivotal connections t2. are pivot pins extending through registering `apertures in the tubular legs 2l] and 24 of the front a'ndrear y' frame members at the upper ends of the straight, convergent lower portions of the frame legs, and pivotally connect together the contiguous legs at the opposite sides of the two frames.

Thehackboard I3 isv a vflat board of any suitable material, such as wood, and is fitted into the upper portion of the front frame IIJ and secured to the frame tube by suitable means, such as screws extending through apertures in the tube and into the edgesof the board.

A straight bar 2l extends transversely between thetwo legs ofthe front frame IU and isv secured at its opposite ends to the respective front frame legs adjacent the upper, forward bends 28 of these legs, andat a location between the bottom edge of the backboard I3 and the pivotal connections I2. The seat board I4 is transversely grooved to receive the straight bar 2'! and the bar is held in the groove in the seat board by suitable clips 29 secured to the under surface of thel seat board and spanning the groove with the bar 2'I therein. y v

AA iJ-shaped bail 30 is pivotally secured at rits ends to the respective legs 24 of the rear frame II at a location substantially the same distance above the pivotal` connections I2 as the bar 21. Adjacent itsmid-length location, thelbail 3D is pivotally secured to the under surface of the seat board I4between the front and rear edges of the latter bya U-shaped clip 3l spanning thel midlength portion of the bail and secured at its end to the seat board. 'f .v

With this arrangement, lwhen the front edge of the seat board is raised, the portion of the bail 33 pivotally-connected to the seatboard will also be raised, and the pivotal ,movement ofthe seat board about the mid-length portion of the bail and the bar 2l will pull the portionsof the two frames above the pivotal connections I2 together to swing the frames to a contiguous, substantially parallel folded condition, as illustrated in Figure 2. y

A strut 32 extends transversely acrossthe bail 3U spaced from the mid-length portion of the bail received in the clip 3L, and an elastic element, such as the. elongated coiled, tension spring 33, ,is secured at its ends to the under side of the seat board I4 at opposite sides of the clip 3|, and passes under the strut 32l to resiliently hold the seat board down on the bail 3G when the chair is in its unfolded condition, as illustrated in Figures l and 5, to secure the chair against accidental folding while in nse.k l

The footboard I5 is secured at its upper edge tothe under surface of the seat board' I4v near the forward edge ofthe latter bya pair of spacedapart hinges 34, and is provided in its rearward or under surface portion with spaced-apart, transversely-extending grooves 35.

A lower, U-shaped bail 36 is pivotally secured at its ends to respective pivot pins of the pivotal connections I2, and is receivable at its mid-length location in any selected one of the spaced-apart grooves 35 to adjustably hold the footboard I5 in operative position, asillustrated in Figure. 5. If desired, the bail 36 may be bent outwardly adjacent its opposite ends, and these outwardly-bent portions utilized as the pivot pins for the pivotal connections.

A narrow shelf 31 is pivotally connected at its rearward edge to the footboard near the bottom edge of the latter, and is movable between the operative position, illustrated in Figure 5, in which it extends outwardly or forwardly substantially perpendicular to the footboard, and its folded position, as illustrated in Figure 6, in which it lies against the front surface of the footboard.

The U-shaped rail I6 is of generally rectangular, open-ended construction, and has its legs 38 bent upwardly near their ends opposite the intermediate portion 39 of the rail, such legs being provided near their ends with apertures receiving respective pivot pins 40, which are received in apertures` provided in the legs 20 of the front frame lil between the top and bottom edges of the backboard i3 to pivotally connect the rail to the front frame. As explained above, the rail is so dimensioned so that its intermediate portion 39 rests upon the supports 26 at the upper ends of the legs 24 of the rear frame when the chair is unfolded, and the rail in its lowered position, as illustrated in Figure 5.

Thel tray board IT is an elongated, somewhat rectangular board having rounded corners and a concavely-curved inner or rearward edge, and is provided with a concave recess in its upper surface. This board is connected near each end thereof to a corresponding leg 38 of the traysupporting rail I6 by a respective slide assembly I8, as illustrated in detail in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 andl 11.\

Each slide assembly i8 includes an elongated, straight rail 4I of channel or U-shaped crosssection, one leg or flange 42 of which is provided with spaced-apart screw holes and secured to the under surface of vthe tray board I'I to extend transversely of the latter at the corresponding end edge of the board by suitable fasteners, such as the wood screws 43. The opposite or lower flange 44 of the rail 4I is provided with a transversely-elongated, rectangular aperture for a purposegwhich will presently appear.

Thejslide assembly further includes` an inner rail 45 having a portion of channel or U-shaped cross-section slidably receivable in the channelshaped outer` rail 4I, and including an upper flange or leg 46 slidable along the under surface of the upper ilange 42 of the outer rail, and a lower ange or leg 41 slidable on the upper surface of the lower ange 44 of the outer rail. This rail 45 has along the edgeiof its lower flange at the open side of the rail a depending leg or flange 43 secured by suitable means, such as rivets 49 to the outer side of the corresponding leg 38 of the support I6 near the intermediate portion 39` of the support.

The rail 45 is particularly illustrated in Figures 9 andjlO, and the lower leg or-flange 4l is provided with a series of rectangular apertures 50 spaced apart longitudinally ofthe rail.` At its `endadjacent the intermediate portion 39 of the support,` the channel-shaped `portion of the inner rail 45 is extended somewhat beyond the corresponding end of the dependingleg 48, and the bottom edge of this extension is inclined upwardly away from the adjacent end of `the leg 4.8, as indicated at 5l in Figure 9.

A latch 52 of angle or Lshaped cross-section is pivotally secured to the web of the outer rail 4| by `suitable means, such as the rivet 5S extending through an aperture in the leg of the latch overlying the web of the outer rail, and has its other leg `5&5 disposed below and extending along the bottom flange lil of theouter rail.

Near its rearward end of the bottom leg `54 of the latch is inclined upwardly, as is clearly indicated .at 55 in Figure ll, and a pointedtongue or dog 5E extends upwardly from the rearward end of this lower leg of the latch to project through the aperture in the bottom flange it of the outer rail di, `and into a selected aperture 5@ in the bottom flange M of the inner rail 45.

A compression spring 5l' is disposed between the bottom leg 51S of the latch and the bottom flange M of the outer rail il at a location spaced forwardly of the` pivot pin or rivet 53 to resiliently urge the tongue 5t into an aperture 5l! of the inner rail.

The tray board il may be adjustably moved longitudinally of the `legs 38 of the supporting rail IE by first depressing the forward ends of the two latch members 5f, disposed one at each end of the tray board, and then `moving the tray forwardly or baclrwardly to the desired position and releasing the latches. If the latches do not immediately engage in, apertures 53 in the corresponding inner rails, the board may be moved forwardly or backwardly a slight amount to bring one of the apertures 5U into alignment with the tongue EG- of each latch, so that the board will be firmly held in adjusted position.

A flexible strap 5B is secured at its upper end to the intermediate portion 39 of the tray-support rail, substantially at the mid-length location of such intermediate portion of the rail, and is detachably secured at its lower end to the under side of the seat board I l near the forward edge of the latter by a suitable means,l such as the snap fastener 59.

When the lower end of the strap 58 is secured to the seat board, the tray cannot be raised, nor can an infant or small child slide out of the chair between the seat board and the tray.

Cylindrical cushions or bushings El] are mounted on the bottom portions I9 and 23 of the two frames I@ and l l, and are disposed, one bushing near each end of each frame bottom portion to provide four resilient supports for the chair, disposed substantially at corresponding corners of the rectangular base area of the chair. These bushings are preferably formed of rubber and may be provided by cutting suitable rubber tubing to the proper length and sliding the tube sections onto the frame tubes.

This improved chair is easily foldable by a single movement of the person folding the chair, as it is necessary only to raise the forward edge of the seat board in order to fold the chair from its expanded or operative condition to its fully folded condition. In order to release the footboard l5 to swing downwardly along the under side of the seat board when the seat board is in folded position, it is necessary only to raise the bottom edge of the seat board a slight amount to allow the bail 36 to drop out of the groove Sain which it is engaged, and when they frafnl the` seat board and the footboardhave been brought to folded condition, the support rail I6 may be :allowed-to idenendnat the `front side4 of theachain or may be swung `over to depend at the rear sideoppositejthe Alower or rearmportion of the seat board in the folded chair. i Thus, when the chair is completely folded, the baclrboard I3, the seat board M, the footboard l5, and the tray board Il are all juxtaposed or stacked in contiguous, substantially parallel relationship, and oc-cupy a space not materially greater than the combined thickness of the fo-ur boards. The frame ,is` also brought toa condition in which the pivotally-connected pairs of legs of the two frame members are substantially parallel and contiguous to each other. The chair thus, when folded, is in an extremely compact condition for easy transportation and, as the chair is of extremely light weight, it may be easily moved or stored when folded, and may be conveniently placed in a vehicle, such as an automobile, if desired.

The invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing de* scription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable high chair comprising a front and a rear frame each having a pair of spaced-apart legs, means pivotally inter-connecting contiguous legs of saidtwo frames intermediate the length of said legs whereby the portions of one frame at opposite sides of said pivotal connections are movable toward and away from the corresponding portions `of the other frame, a baclrboard rigidly secured between the legs of said forward frame above said pivotal connections, a bar extending transversely between the legs of said forward frame between the bottom edge of said backboard and said pivotal connections, a seat board pivotally mounted near its rear edge on said transverse bar, a U-shaped bail pivotally connected at its ends to respective legs of said rear frame above said pivotal connections, means pivotally connecting said bail substantially at its midlength location to the under side of said seat board between the rear and front edges of the latter whereby raising the front edge of said seat board will pull the portions of said frames above said pivotal connections toward each other, a strut extending transversely across said bail at a location spaced from the mid-length portion of the latter, an elastic member secured at its ends to the under side of said seat board in tensioned condition and passing under said strut to resiliently urge said seat board to its lowered position in which it rests upon said transverse bar and said bail, a footboard hinged at its upper edge to said seat board adjacent the front edge of the latter, a lower bail pivotally connected at its ends respectively to said pivotal .connections and releasably engageable at its `mid-length location with the rear side of said footboard to hold the latter in operative position, a U-shaped support pivotally connected at its opposite ends to respective front frame legs between the top and bottom edges of said backboard with its intermediate portion resting upon the upper ends of the rear frame legs when said chair is unfolded,

i? and a tray board slidably mounted on said support with its front edge adjacent the intermediate portion of the support.

2. In a foldable high chair including a front and a rear frame each having a pair of spacedapart legs, means pivotally connecting each leg of one frame to a respective leg of the other frame at locations intermediate the lengths of said frame legs whereby the portions of one frame at opposite sides oi the axis of said pivotal connections are movable toward and away from the corresponding portions of the other` frame, a backboard secured between the legs of said front frame above said pivotal connections, a U-shaped support rail pivotally secured at its opposite ends respectively to said front frame legs between the top and bottom edge locations of said backboard, a seat board supported by said frames below said backboard, and a ootboard hinged at its upper edge to said footboard near the front edge of the latter and depending therefrom, means pivotally mounting said seat board on said frames so that upward movement of the front edge of said seat board will pull the portions of said frames at respectively opposite sides of the axis of said pivotal connections together comprising, means pivotally connecting said seat board near its rear edge to the legs of said front frame between said pivotal connections and the bottom edge of said backboard, a U-shaped bail pivotally connected at its opposite ends respectively to the legs of said rear frame member and pivotally connected at its mid-length location to said seat board between the rear and front edges of the latter, a strut extending transversely across said bail at a location spaced from the mid-length location of the latter, and a tension spring secured at its ends to said seat board and extending under said strut.

3. In a foldable high chair including a front and a rear frame each having a pair of spaced apart legs, means pivotally connecting each leg of one frame to a corresponding leg of the other frame at a location intermediate the lengths of said frame legs whereby the portions of one frame at opposite sides of the common axis of said pivotal connections are movable toward and away from the corresponding portions of the other frame, a seat supported by said frames above said pivotal connections, and means pivotally mounting said seat board on said frames so that upward movement of the front edge of said seat board will pull the portions of Said frames at respectively opposite sides of the common axis of said pivotal connections together comprising, means pivotally connecting said seat board near its rear edge to the legs of said front frame above said pivotal connections, a U-shaped bail pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the legs of said rear frame member and pivotally connected at its mid-length location to said seat board between the rear and front edges of the latter, a strut extending transversely across said bail at a location spaced from the mid-length location of the latter, and a tension spring secured at its ends to said seat board at the under side of the latter and extending under said strut.

VIRGIL E. LITTLE. RAY B. NORRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 251,478 Smith Dec. 2'7, 1881 '757,245 Swan Apr. 12, 1904 1,423,594 Barrows July 25, 1922 1,738,339 Whiting Dec. 3, 1929 2,115,860 Kroll May 3, 1938 2,440,224 North Apr, 2G, 1948 

